McGrath-Ophir-Iditarod

[fladogfan]

Thanks for explanation tangles.

[mira]

Isn't it a bit weird that there isn't any official statement about the loop being dropped? Of course, we are used to a bit unstable flow of information.

The only information I have found on iditarod is in the description for a insider interview with Dallas:
News came last night that the trail would now turn around at Iditarod instead of Flat. How does this change the preparation for the 4 time Champion.

[tanglefoot]

There is a couple of videos, one with mark nordman on insider

[mira]

Ah.. but I haven't had time to watch any videos Usually I listen to them while working, but today I followed a course from 9-3 (video conference of course. ugh). It's a bit hard to listen on videos at the same time as listening to presentations

[mira]

Sass is on the move, but isn't going very fast.. as usual on this stretch.

Aaron Peck and Mille is resting on trail, about the same spot as Brent rested I think... Otherwise, it's quiet, no mushers are on trail between McGrath and Ophir. Mille has finished her 8 mandatory interior rest, Brent and Aaron (P) has not, but they all will stay for 24 hours at Iditarod.

I did a quick calculation for leaving time for 24 hour in McGrath. Note that Matt Hall is also finished with 8h rest.

Dallas Seavey - 10 16:50
Joar Leifseth Ulsom - 10 17:56
Peter Kaiser - 10 18:59
Richie Diehl - 10 18:59
Travis Beals - 10 18:29
Wade Marrs - 10 19:55
Jessie Royer - 10 21:03
Nicolas Petit - 10 21:47
Ramey Smyth - 11 00:03
Matt Hall - 11 01:18

[elsietee]

Sorry, had to work a bunch today, so I'm five pages-worth of videos behind on my video transcription service, so will probably just have to go with the highlights.

Joar in McG:
Commenting that cold weather would be nice - no more overflow and they'd get to wear their cold weather gear instead of carrying it in the sled. Reports that his dogs are hungry, all the time.

Brent going through McG:
Lots of wet overflow sections. Looking very sprightly and athletic leaving - doesn't appear to be favoring his broken collarbone at all.

Richie in McG:
Real happy with his 14 dogs - has a few tiny issues with them, but nothing major. Happy to 24 there - dogs need the break.

Pete in McG:
Was one of the better trails they've had in a while - it's usually punchy, but it was way better than usual. Running a single yearling (not common for him), but this one is exceptional. He's a single pup out of his golden harness winner, Marro (sp?). The yearling's name is Lash because he has a weird tuft of hair like a giant eyelash growing out of his left eye.

[elsietee]

Brent camped on the trail between McG and Tak:
Trail much better than usual. It had been v hot, but it cooled down on the river and was smooth sailing (other than the holes and the overflow). Says he'll go on to Iditarod if the dogs look good at Ophir. Plans on taking his 8 "on the way home". Only plans to stop in checkpoints for the two mandatory 8 hours - dogs rest better, he rests better - he's not used to being around a lot of people.

Brent going through Ophir:
Says it's beautifully cold. Asks about how the trail is to Iditarod. They tell him there are five trail breakers out there, making trail. Says he plans to 24 in Iditarod. Not worried about the other mushers, but knows he's effectively behind them.

Mille resting on the trail:
Found some water, so she stopped (it was a hot day), and she was able to get the dogs water right from there - much easier that way, you can keep giving the dogs water (instead of having to melt snow). Constantly concerned about keeping the dogs hydrated. Couldn't ask for better from the dogs. Running some dogs from Dean Osmar, Cim Smyth, Dee Dee, [someone I missed] and Jeff King, so very grateful to them.

Ryne resting on the trail:
"Balmy". Letting the dogs nap in the warm sun. Says it's really pretty where she stopped. Has a bunch of ID/YQ veterans, but five dogs who've never done a 1000 mile race before. Trail is smooth and even, good footing, no trenching, not super-hard. Excited to be interviewed on Insider for the first time (so her people at home can see what she's doing).

Jeff Deeter at McGrath:
Ran into some deep overflow that the lead dogs went into, so now they're all wet. Working on Plan B (24 in McG), so he can recharge batteries and dry out his soaked-from-the-knee-down clothes. Happy he's just on Plan B, not Plan E-F-... Shows off one dog who says is a really good leader when it gets more remote, but he's a bit timid when it's busy.

Aaron switching sleds in McG:
Lighter weight sled, so better in deep snow. Looking forward to the colder temps, because his dogs are used to that.

[elsietee]

Lev talking about his lead dog Suicide:

A good dog, esp. later in the race when he, Lev, is tired and he's thinking the dogs need more rest - and there's Suicide going "Let's go! Get off the straw! We've gotta go!" - after he's done p*ssing off his team mates and urinating on everything around him. It's nice to have one that's kind of wild like that - so motivated - and if I put him in front of the team by himself, they're all like "OK, he's in charge, we're good". They just kind of listen to him... it's weird because he exudes NO authority. He's like a rebellious child - but he's good at his job.

Jessie Holmes in Ophir:
Planned on 24-ing there. Had heard that they were just putting in the trail to Iditarod, so figured he'd let other teams go ahead. Likes Ophir better than McG because it's quieter and more peaceful, more remote (compared to McG, which is "the new Takotna"). Hoping the trail will be better by the time he leaves. Is saving his 8 for when he needs it "It's a weapon". Got soaked feet - the snowmachine guy told him to go to the right, but the mushers who went left didn't get wet. Dogs got tangled around the groomer, so he had to stop and get them untangled and let some loose to get it all sorted out.

Cody Strathe in Ophir:
Has a mix of older and younger dogs - wants to finish with as many dogs as possible.

Dallas talking about the new turnaround:
Says people are trying to figure out where to take your 8. Was hard to break up the run, arriving somewhere where the dogs need the 8 hour - but removing the Flat loop means it's actually easier. So he's rethinking how to do it. Didn't have a specific plan, but now he's on his 24, he's going to sit down with a notebook and a cup of coffee and work it out.

[elsietee]

Mark Nordman on the lack of Flat Loop:
Trailbreakers had a hard time getting to Iditarod because of all the new snow, so they decided to concentrate on that trail instead. There's a 4-4 and half foot trench from Ophir to Iditarod, so safer that way. Gives the trailbreakers more time to rework the earlier sections. The groomers got stuck out in some overflow near McGrath, so they have to get them back, so they can send them back to Deshka. Harder to get the trailbreakers down the trail, compared to dog teams.

Michelle in Ophir:
Said she was planning to go to Iditarod to 24, but has decided she needs to stop for a bit - looked a little dazed.

[elsietee]

Hilarious long interview with Sean Underwood in McG:
Is ready for his 24. Feels the trail has been a bit harder this year, compared to last.

Said he just now heard about Aliy, but saw her headlight "sitting eerily on the river" and wondered why - and then proceeded to fall in the same place ("without concussing myself...although it may sound like I'm talking like I'm concussed"), Gorge was more challenging. 900 miles into the race, you've forgotten how bad the Happy River Steps are. He' only remembers the last third of his race from last year. "Not feeling stoked about having to go back". Tells himself "Future Sean" will deal with that. One checkpoint at a time. Said the trail bridges over the river were beautifully-built - thanks the trail builders - but says there's not much room for error. Assuming he gets over the next 200 miles - which is pretty presumptuous - ...

He then segues into a story about hearing a helicopter in the Gorge and was wondering if there was an air base around. Says that although he doesn't know much about helicopters, he was in a Black Hawk last year, which sort of makes him an expert, and that sounded like one. And he just discovered that that was "Aliy's ride"... anyway, cool story... but that wasn't what you asked....?

....in the dark you don't see the bridge until you're on it and it's only > this < wide and there's a 5 ft drop. He asked someone what the name of the creek was and was told "it's the Dalzell Creek"..."Oh, so that's why it's called the Dalzell Gorge" - but was worried about falling in the hole. Now he keeps thinking about that hole and is worried because it was "kind of not designed" to go that direction.

Burn: mushing on rocks and dirt... kind of cool. Better than mushing on that river with zero traction. Better to have the booties off for better traction. The sled is going sideways and the dogs are having to pull it up, but they have no traction. Won't be able to use your brake on the downhills going back.

Talks about the difference between himself and Dallas - Dallas gets what the dogs need. He had a pool of two teams to pick from - Sean ended up running the leftovers. so his dogs are pretty much the same as Dallas' team... the main difference is "Sean". When he's erring between a 4 hour rest and a 6 hour rest, he'll pick the 6 hour rest... for him.

Says Dallas looks "trail hardened".